“I’m excited to kick off 2017 with the inaugural LFA event in Texas,” LFA CEO Ed Soares stated. “Legacy FC and RFA have helped launch the careers of over 100 fighters that have reached the UFC. On Friday, Jan. 13, the two promotions merge to form the leading developmental organization in MMA. In the main event of LFA 1, we will crown our first LFA champion with a bantamweight title-unification bout between Legacy FC champion Steven ‘Ocho’ Peterson and RFA champion Leandro ‘Pitbull’ Higo.”

Peterson, who will fight in his home state, carries a six-fight winning streak into the event. The 28-year-old fought 10 times for Legacy FC and won the title after choking out Manny Vazquez in June. However, his first scheduled title defense was scrapped when Mark De La Rosa no-showed their October fight.

Higo, meanwhile, won his belt in April with a submission victory over Joey Miolla while UFC President Dana White was cageside for the RFA 37 event. The 27-year-old Brazilian is surging and is currently riding a seven-fight winning streak. Like Peterson, Higo is likely to grab UFC matchmakers’ attention with a strong performance at LFA 1.

On March 19, 2011, 23-year-old Jon Jones brutalized UFC light heavyweight champion “Shogun” Rua to become the youngest titleholder in UFC history. But for Jones, it was only the start of a wild ride that at times spun out of control.